Vehicle Description
Looking for inexpensive fun with high style? This 1954 Chevy 210
sedan might just be the ultimate example. A great combination of
originality and tasteful restoration, it's built to drive regularly
without erasing its original personality, and we like that quite a
bit. In today's world of hot rods with the same-old, same-old going
on underneath, finding a mostly original car like this can be very
refreshing.
It's basic, no getting around that. Simple in Larkspur Blue and
Snowshoe White, with a two-tone interior and exactly zero options,
it was probably the cheapest car on the lot back in '54.
Nevertheless, it was someone's daily transportation, and it was
reliable and plenty stylish, and today it stands out as something
special, even when surrounded by younger, flashier, more
option-laden Tri-Five siblings. The single stage repaint has a very
authentic look with a bit of patina over some clean original
sheetmetal that probably needed little more than a good scuff to be
paint-ready. It's not show-quality, but the whole car has a period
look that's very charming and which shines up beautifully. There's
never been any rust on this car, and it's probably the kind of car
that the original owner proudly bragged about washing every
Saturday afternoon. All the chrome and trim is original, and it's a
great barometer of the quality process in the 1950s with nice
detail and a deep shine that only comes from spending real money to
restore it properly.
The no-frills interior is actually a pretty nice place to spend
some time, with handsome blue and white cloth upholstery and
supportive seats that were designed for all-day comfort. Everything
on the dash, including the instruments and metal grille that hides
the original AM radio speaker, is in incredible shape for being
almost 65 years old, and we believe everything but the carpets is
original. The gauges are fully functional and still clear and
legible, and old plastic steering wheels rarely look this good
after six decades. The 210 got carpets instead of rubber mats, so
it feels a bit more luxurious than the usual bargain-priced
beaters, and the beautiful door panels suggest that style mattered
in every Chevy, not just the expensive ones. The spacious trunk
features an original-style rubber mat, jack assembly, and a
bias-ply spare tire that looks like it might have been installed
there in 1954.
Chevy's dependable Blue Flame six was the only powerplant
available, and with 235 cubic inches, it was torquey and smooth
under all conditions. Further evidence of this car's dedication to
the past is found under the hood, where it shows proper blue engine
enamel, a correct oil bath air cleaner, factory carburetor, and no
signs of any of the period speed parts that many Chevys of this
vintage often carry. It is neatly detailed and quite stock, and it
features a new carburetor for easy running. A 3-speed manual
transmission was standard equipment, and the column-mounted shifter
is simple to use with light clutch action thanks to a fresh clutch.
Regular service to the suspension and brakes mean that it drives
extremely well, there's a fresh exhaust system, and there's
something about the way an all-original car drives that's simply
impossible to replace during a restoration. The only incorrect
items on the car are the flashy Bel Air hubcaps, which work well on
the stock steel wheels and modern Goodyear rubber.
Bargain-priced or not, someone loved this Chevy. Today, it's a
remarkable specimen that will impress not with its flash, but with
its honesty. Call today!